How AI Helped Fix Broken Links in Drupal’s Metatag Module

A routine documentation fix in the Drupal Metatag module revealed a broader challenge in maintaining open source projects, according to a blog post published by Tag1. In the article, Sammy Gituko explains how AI-assisted research helped identify and replace broken documentation links inside the widely used Drupal module.

Gituko explains that the Metatag module contains numerous plugin files referencing external documentation sources, many of which had become unreliable over time. Rather than manually reviewing each file and checking every URL, he used AI to accelerate the research process. AI helped identify patterns for locating links across the codebase, generate commands for verifying their status, and suggest potential replacement sources from trusted documentation platforms.

The result was a workflow that significantly reduced the time spent on repetitive verification tasks. Instead of opening dozens of links individually, automated checks quickly revealed which URLs were still valid, which redirected elsewhere, and which had completely disappeared. This allowed Gituko to focus on evaluating better documentation sources and ensuring that replacements came from stable authorities such as MDN, Google Search Central, or official standards organisations.

However, Gituko emphasises that AI’s role was limited to accelerating research rather than making final decisions. Some links pointed to deprecated features or obsolete documentation, requiring human judgment about whether the reference should be replaced or removed entirely. These contextual decisions ensured the updates improved clarity and maintainability rather than simply patching broken URLs.

The contribution ultimately replaced several broken references with more authoritative sources while removing links tied to deprecated functionality. Gituko argues that the experience demonstrates a practical use of AI in open source development: helping contributors complete tedious verification work faster while preserving the careful review that quality maintenance still requires.